Cell service disruption in Temagami and Marten River potentially due to copper wire theft
Cellular Service Disrupted in Northern Ontario
A recent incident in Temagami, Marten River, and the surrounding areas has caused significant disruptions to cellular services, including emergency services like 911. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reported damage to communication infrastructure at 8 a.m. on August 13, 2025[1][4].
The damage resulted in a major service outage for telecom fibre, affecting mobile calls and emergency connectivity[1][4]. This disruption temporarily impacted residents’ ability to place or receive calls, including critical 911 emergency calls.
The OPP advised people experiencing issues to move to areas where signal might be available and maintained an increased police presence to support the community during the outage[1][2]. The investigation into these incidents is ongoing, with police urging anyone with information on the copper thefts to contact their non-emergency line or Crime Stoppers[1][3].
Similar copper theft-related disruptions have been reported recently in nearby regions, such as East Ferris near North Bay, indicating a troubling trend of rising copper wire thefts affecting communication infrastructure[1][2][5]. If residents are unable to connect, they should consider moving to an area with a better signal.
For updates on service restoration, residents should contact their cellular service provider. No new information about the expected restoration time of the service has been provided[1][4]. The OPP will maintain an increased presence in the community to support residents.
If confirmed, this incident in Temagami is the latest case of cell services being disrupted by copper wire theft, following a similar incident last month in East Ferris[1][5]. Copper thefts have been increasing in recent months, highlighting the vulnerability of communication infrastructure to criminal activity and its critical impact on emergency services[2][5].
[1] OPP Investigating Cellular Service Disruption in Temagami
[2] Cellular Disruptions Affecting Emergency Services in Northern Ontario
[3] OPP Asks for Public's Help in Copper Theft Investigation
[4] Cellular Service Restored in Temagami After Outage
[5] Rising Copper Wire Thefts Affecting Communication Infrastructure
In light of the ongoing investigation, residents may find related news in the 'Crime and justice' section, as the OPP is searching for information on copper thefts causing the cellular service disruptions in Temagami, Marten River, and surrounding areas. Meanwhile, to stay informed about the restoration of services, people can refer to 'General-news' sources for updates from their cellular service providers.
